Youth sailing program coming to Green Bay

Oakwood Elementary School fifth-graders got a taste of sailing on Lake Winnebago during Oshkosh Schools Sail Week. Elementary school students are setting sail on Lake Winnebago this month during the International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh's Sail Week. Students from Oaklawn, Roosevelt, Emmeline Cook, Lakeside, Smith, Franklin, Jacob Shapiro, Webster Stanley and Merrill elementary schools will all be out on the water at Menominee Park beach.(Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

GREEN BAY - A new program is coming to Green Bay to incorporate sailing and paddle sports into youth education.

Green Bay Sail & Paddle will launch in August as a program for people of all ages — particularly youth — to experience the bay and learn about sailing.

The organization will offer youth instructional programs for sailing and paddle sports, as well as certificate training for sail instructors and training for youth educators.

"We want to tie our education and waterways to the youth in our community," city of Green Bay Economic Developer Wendy Townsend said.

The program plans to bring sailing and paddling into school classrooms by incorporating them into the science, technology, engineering and math curriculum. Many fifth-grade teachers in Green Bay are already on board with pulling the program into their classrooms and allowing the students to gain on-the-water experience while learning.

"Greater access to the bay of Green Bay really brings greater appreciation for the bay. Greater appreciation for the bay means we're going to be caring for this resource a lot better," said Frederick Krumberger, co-founder of Green Bay Sail & Paddle.

Green Bay Sail & Paddle worked with the International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh to bring its education and outreach program to Green Bay. The Oshkosh sailing program has partnered with Oshkosh schools to incorporate sailing into the curriculum, allowing every fifth-grade student to learn to sail.

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Dale Prey instructs the Oshkosh Lourdes 7th graders on using the paddle board. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Seventh graders from Oshkosh Lourdes get ready to kayak, paddle board during the sailing school. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Oshkosh Lourdes 7th graders learn paddle boarding. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Charleigh Reinardy paddles as Rachel Aasby waits for shore. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Steve Eliason makes sure the sailboats get going in the right direction. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Alexandria Wogernese and Olivia Sorenson keep their balance on their paddle board. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Jack Dolan is a master of the kayak. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Steve Eliason brings in a sailboat. The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

The International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh is in full swing on the shores of Menominee Park at the beach house. Students from the area learn to sail, kayak, and paddle board. Joe Sienkiewicz / Oshkosh Northwestern Media

Green Bay Sail & Paddle will begin with sailing, paddleboarding and stand-up paddleboarding, and will eventually include kayaks and canoes. The classes will cater to all levels, from beginner sailing to more complex crafts. Townsend said the program will eventually be open for anybody to rent the equipment for the day, even if they're not taking classes, so that individuals and families can take advantage of the equipment after they learn how to operate it.

The program is also working the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club and Boy Scouts to incorporate sailing lessons into their programs so they can reach a wide range of kids with different backgrounds.

"This Green Bay Sail & Paddle program allows kids from all walks of life — whether different income backgrounds, different socioeconomic backgrounds — to take part in this program and connect with the waterfront," Mayor Jim Schmitt said.

The sailing and paddling equipment will be kept at the South Bay Marina on a specially made beach for the program.

The program kicks off Aug. 8-12 with youth sail and paddle lessons with an expected 250 kids taking part. There are additional special events scheduled that week for people of all ages. For more information and to register go to gbsail.org.